Kendrapara, Feb. 10: Longstanding land dispute sparked off violence and bloodshed in Baratunga village under Marshaghai police limits, about 25km from here last night.

At least 10 persons, including four women, were injured following indiscriminate firing by a retired BSF jawan. Situation is stated to be tense in the remote village, prompting authorities to deploy armed police.

“It was an act of sudden provocation by the retired jawan. The shootout had also provoked clash between two groups. No causality has, however, been reported. It was a double barrel gun that is often used to scare away stray animals such as monkeys from crop fields. The tiny-sized bullets triggered from the gun were not deadly,” said Narasingha Bhol, Kendrapara police chief.

The incident occurred at the river-locked village around 8pm last evening. There was heated exchange of words between two groups of villagers over a land-related feud. The retired BSF jawan, Madan Mohan Behera, in a sudden fit of rage, began firing shots from his country-made gun. About 10 persons, who came in the firing line, sustained injuries.